]]>Do you want to make sure your follow-up or outreach emails have the highest chance of being read? Here are some great tips to make sure that happens:

SUBJECT LINES
1. Short subject lines work best.
2. Use a number in your subject line. And make sure you use the ACTUAL number; don’t spell it out.
3. Asking a question is a great way to create engagement, so give that a try in your subject line.
4. Avoid using all caps or excessive exclamation points. These scream “SPAM” and can cause your email to be deleted before being read.

CONTENT
1. No one seems to read emails all the way through these days, so keep your content short and sweet.
2. Three bullet points work best. Notice I said ‘bullet points’ – not paragraphs. Paragraphs are too lengthy and, while your email may be opened, paragraph style emails can cause recipients to hit the delete key before they even bother to read your message.
3. A p.s. at the end of an email can be highly effective. Try using one in your next email.

READABILITY
1. Can your email be read in different browsers? Test it to see if it looks alright on Mozilla, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Explorer.
2. Is your email mobile-friendly? Ask our friends at 30 Lines to help you out with a mobile friendly email campaign. They handle the All Stars (and my own) email campaigns. They know their stuff!

WHEN TO SEND
1. There are good times to send emails and bad times to send emails. Think about it this way…do you read emails that hit your inbox after 8 p.m.? Probably not.
2. Best time in the morning to send emails: 9-10 a.m. Most recipients have gone through their work emails from 8-9 a.m. and are ready for a little distraction from those work-related emails.
3. Best time in the afternoon: 3-5 p.m. Work-related boredom has set in and people are more open to reading sales and promotional emails.

If you follow these simple tips when creating and sending your emails, you can boost your open and read rates by as much as 100 percent. Imagine how many more leases you will close as a result!

]]>https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/top-tips-for-creating-emails-that-are-read/feed/0What You Need to Know About Gen Z – The Latest Generation of Rentershttps://apartmentallstars.com/2018/what-you-need-to-know-about-gen-z-the-latest-generation-of-renters/
https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/what-you-need-to-know-about-gen-z-the-latest-generation-of-renters/#respondMon, 14 May 2018 16:18:41 +0000https://apartmentallstars.com/?p=2408Find out how you can get ready for the next generation of renters - Generation Z.

]]>As the Mom of two Generation Zs (one 19, one 17), I’ve been aware of the differences between Gen Z and Millennials for a long time. I first noticed it when my daughters did their online searches on BOTH YouTube and Google. Fifty four percent of Gen Z visits YouTube multiple times a day. What does this tell you? Your property needs to be on YouTube NOW. And even better? The competition on YouTube is much less than on Google. By the thousands.

Gen Z is the first totally digital generation we have seen. And all of this multitasking across as many as five screensat a time has had a profound effect on them, even causing their brains to evolve differently than other generations. The result? This generation is extraordinarily visual. Translation: photos, not text, are the best way to get the attention of this group of renters. Add minimal text to photos with apps such as WordSwag and FontCandy.

Top ways to Reach Gen Z:

Texting is their primary form of communication. Does your company have a texting platform in place? Can your prospects text from your website? Can your residents text in their service requests? Even Millennials, Gen X’rs and Boomers like to text. It’s time you have this ability added to your communication lineup.

Social media. Co-creation is in Gen Z’s DNA. Utilize social media platforms like Instagram in partnership with your residents to make memorable marketing messages. Host a video contest where residents create their own videos explaining why they love their apartment so much. Allowing your residents to design the message gives you testimonials, great marketing messages, and excellent shareable content.

Presentation is everything. Remember that this group has grown up experiencing retail through Apple stores. Think sleek, streamlined leasing offices with easily identifiable career apparel on your team, along with name tags. Making the buying experience easy is something that Gen Z appreciates. Offer opportunities for them to view your community via a livestream experience. Periscope and Meerkat are two platforms (both are free) that provide the realistic, honest approach to a tour that Gen Z prefers.

Lastly, remember that this group of renters will be larger than ANY existing generation. They are coming into your leasing offices now…and will be for years to come. Be prepared.

]]>https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/what-you-need-to-know-about-gen-z-the-latest-generation-of-renters/feed/0Increase Productivity – For Freehttps://apartmentallstars.com/2018/increase-productivity-for-free/
https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/increase-productivity-for-free/#respondMon, 14 May 2018 16:12:58 +0000https://apartmentallstars.com/?p=2404Find out how you can increase your productivity of yourself and your team - for free!

]]>She complained. She whined. She lied. She talked behind people’s backs. She created chaos. Do you know this person? I’ve met a lot of individuals like this! The trouble is, this person was leasing a lot of apartments! She was a leasing machine.

So, what are you to do? Counseling sessions made her even harder to deal with because she turned them into a negative experience. “Was she really worth the effort I put into keeping this person happy?” I wondered. I quickly realized that the answer is no. It is not worth it. Let me tell you why.

Happiness is the Key to Leasing Success
I truly believe that the star performers are the best at what they do because they are happy. Does success feed that happiness? Yes, but it is not the only thing that drives people to happiness.

One negative person can take away joy, fun and trust from the entire leasing and management team. Smiles can be quickly replaced with eye rolling and defeat. Why? Because emotions are highly contagious; they easily and quietly spread through nonverbal cues.

However, when we interact with people who are in a good mood, we start to copy their body language, tone of voice and expressions. Studies show that seeing a friend smile can activate the muscles in your face to make that same expression, without you trying to do that. And, once we mimic someone’s physical behavior, we actually start to feel the same emotions. When we smile, we elevate our mood. Scientists call this “facial feedback hypothesis”.

Even if you don’t feel like it, make sure you smile. Here’s why: when the brain senses the flexion of certain facial muscles (like the zygomatic major, which is required to smile), it interprets it as “Oh I must be happy about something”, Alex Korb, PhD, wrote in Psychology Today: “Similarly, if that muscle isn’t flexed then your brain thinks, ‘Oh, I must not be happy’,” he added.

There really is science behind the effectiveness of a smile.

Smile and Weed out Negativity
Removing the person on the team who is everything I described in the first paragraph resulted in more leases! Yes, we no longer have that leasing machine I referred to, but now that the mood is positive and fun, everyone else is producing better results. The ability for our team to achieve their goals increased.

Want a more successful team? Spend time spreading your positive attitude. Be in their space so your team can mimic your verbal and nonverbal cues. Most importantly, get rid of the complainer. Have confidence that your team will rise up when the problem is removed.

]]>https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/increase-productivity-for-free/feed/0How to use Treasure Hunt for Motivationhttps://apartmentallstars.com/2018/how-to-use-treasure-hunt-for-motivation/
https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/how-to-use-treasure-hunt-for-motivation/#respondTue, 08 May 2018 16:03:46 +0000https://apartmentallstars.com/?p=2400Learn how you can easily, and effectively, motivate your team!

]]>I absolutely love leasing consultants! In general, these individuals are motivated, happy, up-beat professionals who truly enjoy their careers. But let’s face it, staying at this high energy level can take a lot out of a person if someone isn’t assisting with a little outside motivation.

At one time or another, we have all been members of a treasure hunt. You might have been tied together with nine other people, stumbling down the streets of New Orleans in search of clues from local vendors that would ultimately lead you to that winning treasure or something similar. Treasure hunts are fun; they combine wit, tenacity, mystery, excitement and much more.

What if we applied the treasure hunt concept to leasing apartments? What if, every time a leasing consultant secured an application, he or she was provided a clue that would ultimately lead him/her to a special item hidden somewhere on-site? For instance, the first clue would lead them to a Snickers bar. The second clue would lead them to a piece of Laffy Taffy. The third clue would lead them to a Jolly Rancher candy. And the final clue would lead them to tickets for an evening at the local comedy club.

As a leasing consultant, I would so get into this! I know that I would be pushing for applications harder than ever. Management could sit back and watch their application income rise, their occupancy soar and their “Wait List” build.
Conversely, you could use the same type of incentive with each renewal signed. Management could watch their turn costs quickly decrease, their marketing costs decline, and their maintenance satisfaction reports rise, since their teams are not tied up with turns.

The front door is key! Keeping the FACE of the community happy and motivated will always “PAY OFF”!

Big team or little team, leasing team or maintenance team… everyone benefits from additional motivation–and so does the bottom line!

So, as a manager, ask yourself: “Have I creatively motivated my team lately?”

]]>https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/how-to-use-treasure-hunt-for-motivation/feed/0Spark-Flame-Fire-Infernohttps://apartmentallstars.com/2018/spark-flame-fire-inferno/
https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/spark-flame-fire-inferno/#commentsTue, 08 May 2018 15:45:01 +0000https://apartmentallstars.com/?p=2395Figure out how you can motivate and get the most out of your employees

]]>In today’s competitive workplace, employees are constantly assigned projects, given deadlines and receive constructive feedback. And organizations imply that employee work accomplishments do not go unnoticed; instead, they position employees for consideration for promotions. As a result, the individual employee pressure to succeed “is on”!

As a supervisor, balancing assignments is difficult, especially if you have a “superstar” on your team. When the pressure is on, it is easy to assign everything to that overachiever – because you know it will get done and get done right. Unfortunately, in the process of weighing them down with assignments, you prevent the underachiever from having the opportunity to learn.

Strong vs. Average Employees
In talking to strong employees about their work loads, I have often been told that they feel as though they are taken advantage of. The common assessment from them is, “If you do it and do it well, they only give you more to do.” While talking to the average employee, the common assessment is, “supervisors tend to give assignments to their ‘favorites’, never giving the average employee a chance to show what they are made of.”

WOW – what a misconception; yet, their perception is our reality. By creating this misconception, we actually teach an employee that, if they are not able to handle a project independently without our assistance, then they don’t deserve the opportunity to be assigned another one. Therefore, many try their best, but unfortunately crash and burn the first time out of the gate.

The Spark-Flame-Fire-Inferno Solution
Here is a method you can use to help your employees succeed. The motto that I share with my employees is, if you given an assignment and you have a little SPARK of confusion, check in with a colleague or me for advice. If you are working on an assignment and a FLAME of conflict occurs, let me know. If you are deep into the project and a FIRE of errors threaten the success of the project, get me involved fast. However, if you ignore the spark, the flame and the fire and choose to wait for an INFERNO, it is not fair to involve others.

Know Each Team Member’s Talents
All employees need the opportunity to succeed. Superstars need the opportunity to mentor. And everyone needs to understand that the person who calls 911 is just as important as the person who responds to their 911 alert.
Know your team’s talents. Put together a talent chart and let it guide you in assigning projects to your team members – the strongest being the mentor and the average being the learner. Be sure to pass the projects around. After all, that is what building a team is all about. Below is an example of a talent chart.

]]>https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/spark-flame-fire-inferno/feed/1When Was the Last Time You Looked at Your Property Through the Eyes of Your Customer?https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/when-was-the-last-time-you-looked-at-your-property-through-the-eyes-of-your-customer/
https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/when-was-the-last-time-you-looked-at-your-property-through-the-eyes-of-your-customer/#respondTue, 01 May 2018 15:37:14 +0000https://apartmentallstars.com/?p=2391When was the last time you looked at your property through the eyes of a shopper? Take a look at our 10 tips to help make sure your property is always looking pristine.

What do you think is the best way to quickly improve your customer service and resident retention?

Micah Solomon, a contributor to Forbes, made a great point when he recently wrote, “Obsess over the beginning and ending of the customer interaction. Because of how human memory works, you have to get these moments right if you want your customers to remember their time with you pleasantly.”

Every time a customer comes in contact with your property or a member of the on-site team, it is a Moment of Truth. The future relationship between you and your customer is based on the collective memory of each Moment of Truth. So it’s incredibly important to identify each potential critical point of contact between you and the customer and ensure that it is a positive, impressionable experience for the customer.

When was the last time you looked at every aspect of your property through the eyes of your customer – prospect and resident?

Identify Critical Points of Contact

The best way to identify the critical points of contact is to create an Experience Map of your property. Look at every critical point of contact and determine the level of service at each point, through the eyes of the customer. What would compel a customer to do business with you and come back – or renew their lease? And remember, those critical points of contact may be different for every customer you meet. Some obvious things to consider:

1. How is your curb appeal? Is the landscaping well-maintained and trash picked up? Does the entire property look great, or just the front entrance and area around the clubhouse? Residents want to take pride in how their home looks – both inside and out.
2. Are your team members well-mannered and gracious to everyone? Do they treat customers fairly and with respect? Are they helpful in person, on the phone and via e-mail?
3. Is the clubhouse inviting, with refreshments available?
4. Are the amenities well-maintained and open when residents wish to use them?
5. Are your maintenance personnel in uniforms with picture IDs so that they are easily identifiable by residents? Are they well groomed?
6. Is pet waste picked up around the property?
7. Is the American flag flying in front of your entrance in good repair and properly lit?
8. Do your office hours make it easy for prospects to visit your community?
9. Is your website easy to navigate and does it provide useful information? Are your social media posts appropriate and show your community’s image in the very best light? What is the customer’s first impression of you on-line?

As the old saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” In today’s competitive environment, it’s more important than ever to look critically at your property through the eyes of your customer. Commit to developing an Experience Map of your community today and get everyone on your team involved in the process. The results will be higher occupancy at maximum rents, better resident retention rates and a team focused on delivering excellent customer service.

]]>https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/when-was-the-last-time-you-looked-at-your-property-through-the-eyes-of-your-customer/feed/0It’s Up to YOU to Stay Motivated and Engagedhttps://apartmentallstars.com/2018/its-up-to-you-to-stay-motivated-and-engaged/
https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/its-up-to-you-to-stay-motivated-and-engaged/#respondTue, 01 May 2018 15:26:32 +0000https://apartmentallstars.com/?p=2384By Alexandra S. Jackiw, CPM®, CAPS President – Milhaus Management Over the past decade, employee engagement at work has remained at a shocking level of just under 30 percent, according to the Gallup Organization. That means that more than two-thirds of employees in the U.S. are disengaged at work. They have checked out, feel unhappy, […]

Over the past decade, employee engagement at work has remained at a shocking level of just under 30 percent, according to the Gallup Organization. That means that more than two-thirds of employees in the U.S. are disengaged at work. They have checked out, feel unhappy, sleepwalk through the work day and, in some instances, undermine the productivity of engaged employees. This is a dismal situation that has to change – and you hold the power to change this mindset.
Even though your supervisor has a lot of influence over how engaged you are at work, the good news is that you can put yourself in the driver’s seat. “Employees have more control than they realize over their ability to build and sustain motivation in the workplace,” says Heidi Grant Halvorson, a motivational psychologist and author of “Nine Things Successful People Do Differently”. Here’s how to motivate yourself even if your boss doesn’t motivate you:

1. Figure out what makes you tick.
You’re the only one who can figure out what are the most important things to you personally and professionally. Ask yourself: when was the last time you were excited about accomplishing something at work? What are you most interested in doing? What gives you the biggest sense of accomplishment? What are your strengths and talents?

2. Set your own goals.
Step back and look at the big picture and take the time to develop your own individual career plan. Once you’ve done that, track your projects and results and set goals for your own development. While some of these goals may be directly related to your current role, others may be geared toward learning and exploring areas of interest outside your job description.

3. Make sure you have a “Plan B”.
It’s important to stay on track after you’ve set your goals but also plan for setbacks. Not everything you lay out will go according to plan. By anticipating obstacles, you’re less likely to get stuck. Accepting that challenges are a part of life and being prepared to deal with them is critical to long-term motivation.

4. Evaluate your own performance and ask for feedback.
Most managers are willing to offer feedback if you ask. You might request the feedback directly and in the moment by saying something like, “How did you think the meeting went? Is there anything I might do differently next time?” Also look to your peers for an objective assessment of your performance. Ask people who will be candid with you and whose opinions you trust. Another option is self-evaluation. Look critically at your own work and ask yourself the same questions you would use to evaluate the work of others.

5. Expand your internal and external networks.
If you’re not getting motivation from your supervisor, look for support elsewhere — not only to boost your confidence, but also to increase your visibility. Find mentors within your own company to give guidance and perspective, and, if possible, try to organize a peer group of career-oriented people. Look for external relationships or opportunities for online networking. Online networking through sites liked LinkedIn and Twitter can be an effective way to stay in touch with like-minded people and to keep abreast of industry-wide developments.

6. Focus on learning.
Commit yourself to consistently learning and improving. Knowledge and learning are some of the very best motivators that stimulate new ideas and innovation.

Changing your mindset and habits can help you gain a more fulfilling approach to your job and help you stay motivated and engaged at work. You owe it to yourself to “up your game” by focusing on those activities that will make you happier in your job and ready for the next career challenge. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose!

]]>A team that works well together is a beautiful thing, but every team needs a “tune up” every now and then. Check out some of our top 10 team building tips to makes sure you and your team are growing together towards your goal.

1. Creative a common vision of purpose for your team.
2. Develop common goals that mirror the vision.
3. Make sure all players are clear about their role and responsibilities, and how they affect the team.
4. Ensure management support and direction.
5. Use different team-building exercises in each team meeting.
6. Take it outside and off the property! Changing venue changes perspective.
7. Develop Action Plans for day to day responsibilities to make them more effective.
8. Spend time finding out what each team member needs to succeed.
9. Take time to reinforce “why we do things a certain way”.
10. Have fun! Laugh together, sing together! Work hard, play hard!

]]>https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/top-10-great-teambuilding-tips/feed/0Get on the Happy Bus!https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/get-on-the-happy-bus/
https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/get-on-the-happy-bus/#respondTue, 24 Apr 2018 15:12:28 +0000https://apartmentallstars.com/?p=2378Learn how the power of a positive attitude can help you get on the "happy bus"!

Many motivational speakers and coaches use analogies to make a point of how your attitude determines your success in life, both professionally and personally. For me, a positive attitude is represented by “the Happy Bus”, a concept I developed while still managing properties on site years ago.

I had just taken over a large property and wanted to show how much I believed in the power of positive attitudes. So, I called the staff in to have a team meeting. I had taken a yellow toy school bus from my children’s toy box to use as a prop in what I thought would be my best Vince Lombardi speech.

As I spoke about how we are a team and tried to motivate the staff to another level of performance, I was met with vacant, silent stares along with clock watching and an overall, “Are we done yet? I’ve got work to do,” body language. I was hurt that they didn’t believe as I did. So I went home to regroup my thoughts.

I thought I would rename the little bus, “The Happy Bus”. “Genius, Jackie!” I thought. So the next day I called everyone in again and proudly showed the team our NEW bus…The Happy Bus! I explained how I was given this position to help bring the team to another level of operational performance that the owners sent me to achieve.

So, I explained, they could all just slap a smile on their faces or step in the closet and I would slap one on for them, start caring about their jobs, quit talking bad about each other and start performing at the level I knew they could. They understood that they could get on the Happy Bus or they could find another bus. This one concept turned everything around – especially the employees’ attitudes – at this property.

As Lou Holtz, the famous football coach, said, “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”

]]>https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/get-on-the-happy-bus/feed/0The Importance of First Contacthttps://apartmentallstars.com/2018/the-importance-of-first-contact/
https://apartmentallstars.com/2018/the-importance-of-first-contact/#respondTue, 17 Apr 2018 15:02:59 +0000https://apartmentallstars.com/?p=2374You are sitting there at your desk, and in walks in a prospective resident in search of a new apartment. Or, maybe that phone rings or you hear the chime of your email. Regardless of the way they reach out to you, your customer is turning to you for assistance. How you respond in the […]

]]>You are sitting there at your desk, and in walks in a prospective resident in search of a new apartment. Or, maybe that phone rings or you hear the chime of your email. Regardless of the way they reach out to you, your customer is turning to you for assistance. How you respond in the next few minutes can make all the difference. First impressions are everything. The adage, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”, is correct. So what are you doing to guarantee that your customer continues on their journey with you?

Regardless if they approach you by phone, email, or in person, one of the most important things that you can do is to stand out and be unique in your response. Recognize the things that your competitor is doing and make sure that you are doing something different.

This creates a sense of memorability long after your customer has gone. The same focus on originality should cross over to your follow-up as well. Remember, apartment shoppers will examine an average of six to eight potential communities before making their decision. Be the one they remember first when they go to make their choice.
Use these tips to aid in making that first impression even stronger:

Contact by Phone
• Don’t have a generic phone greeting.
• Do not: use a script, put people on hold or talk over the customer.
• Remember to repeat their needs for clarity.
• Repeat your name and say something for them to remember you by.

Contact by E-Mail
• Reply to emails the same day you receive them (the quicker the better).
• Do not use a template reply. Be personable and include pictures, links to videos, and other memorable items.
• If you are having trouble getting replies, try including the closing phrase, “If I have not heard from you by ___, I will follow-up with another email (or call).”

Contact in Person
• Stand up and shake hands when your customer arrives. Holding doors open also goes a long way.
• Avoid the “golden path”. Tour your resident in the order of the qualities they deemed important.
• Ask your customer to touch the pool water, or hit a tennis ball or other methods to have them use all of their senses (not just the words that you are saying).

Remember the Follow-Up
• Over 50 percent of leasing agents fail to follow-up. Another 25 percent follow-up after 24 hours or more. Fast follow-up means greater memorability.
• Mention personal things you learned during the tour as part of the follow-up. Remember that your customer has viewed multiple apartments and making a personal connection can make all the difference.
• Ask them to connect to your community on social media. Welcome them there and help create a conversation that they find valuable and enjoyable, using the social sites they prefer.